Posted by Maleeha Mir on 29 February 2024, in Event reports, News
Photos by Amelia Kyazze, Words by Maleeha Mir
You can listen to an audio recording of this event via this link.
Byte the Book's first live event of 2024 dove into the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of audio with an expert panel sharing invaluable insights, trends, and innovative developments in the publishing industry and beyond at Audio Boom - What’s happening in the expanding world of audiobooks and podcasts? Led by Byte the Book’s Justine Solomons as the event host and chair, the panel comprised Kelli Fairbrother (Founder and CEO of xigxag), Kris Dyer (Actor, Writer, Producer, and Creative Director at Rakkit Productions), Katie Street (Marketing Podcast Host, Keynote Speaker, and Founder of Street Agency) and Duncan Bruce (Associate Director, Audiobook Partnerships and Licensing at Spotify).
Our panel from left to right: Kris Dyer, Katie Street, Justine Solomons, Duncan Bruce, and Kelli Fairbrother.
As the conversation commenced, Justine prompted the panel to reflect on the remarkable growth the audio industry has experienced over the past decade and a half. Kris Dyer, drawing attention to the pivotal role of technology, remarked, “Over the last 15 years, I think so much has changed in the audio industry particularly, and the use of smartphones and technological advances have been the driving force in the consumption of audio content.” His sentiment was echoed by Katie Street, who emphasized the evolving preferences of modern consumers from her background in the world of marketing, stating, “I think people want to digest content in lots of different ways. So if you only produce content in one way, you're going to miss out on engaging with different audiences across the spectrum.” Katie added that in her experience, “diversity in your content is essential so it can appeal and engage with different audiences.”
Katie Street sharing her insights on podcasts and marketing as a Podcast Host, Keynote Speaker, and Founder of Street Agency.
The dialogue swiftly shifted towards the burgeoning realm of audiobooks, with Duncan Bruce shedding light on Spotify's strategic positioning within this domain. “At Spotify, we’re in a very unique and privileged space because we have such an established and huge user base. We have 200 million paying subscribers, and Spotify is used daily as part of their daily routines. So for us to include audiobooks front and centre alongside music and podcasts, means you can't miss audiobooks on the platform and gives our listeners the opportunity to access and engage with this content,” he remarked. The panelists concurred on the pivotal role of distribution platforms in expanding accessibility to audiobooks, with Kelli Fairbrother advocating for more innovative approaches to address existing challenges within the industry: ”I felt completely limited by the solutions available to us in the market. Ultimately, I built XigXag as a platform we wanted to have - our concept is a listen-and-read experience. The only publisher-sanctioned listen and read experience in the market, which then unlocks a load of great features for a person like me who is not necessarily a digital native.” She points out that XigXag is “building a social platform for listeners, and we're trying to be as different as possible from other larger platforms and competitors by opting for a no subscription model” because XigXag “believe that subscription is demand constraining to limit people to one book per month.” Duncan agrees to an extent, adding that “one of the prevailing kind of challenges of the industry is how you kind of widen access and how you improve discoverability.”
Duncan Bruce detailing his experiences working on audiobook at Spotify.
Podcasting emerged as another focal point of discussion, with Katie underscoring its potential for building authentic connections with audiences. “Starting a podcast was an opportunity for me to build a human connection with my audience, for them to engage with me on a different level, and for me to have human conversations that people want to hear and use as a form of learning and active engagement,” she shared. Kris echoed this sentiment, emphasising the inherent importance of the “human voice” within the creation and consumption of audio content.
The conversation took an intriguing turn as Justine probed the panel on the potential impact of AI on the industry. “Publishers are going to have to make important decisions about how they use AI tech in the future,” stated Duncan. Kris and Duncan offered insights into the utilization of AI in production and recommendation systems, highlighting its role in enhancing discoverability while acknowledging the enduring value of human curation. Kris shares how Rakkit Productions has “been outsourcing narrations to AI for years” and feels optimistic about the impact of AI as a tool within the audio industry. He feels that AI might “prioritise the organic (human voice) model of audio,” adding that “people listen to books and people listen to podcasts because the humanness of that experience creates a unique feeling within listeners.” For Duncan, AI use “at Spotify has given them the ability to generate accurate and relevant recommendations that users want. Now this tool can be used on audiobook recommendations with the help of human curation within the process.”
Kris Dyer sharing his advice and insight on world of audiobook creation and content at Rakkit Productions
As the evening drew to a close, the panelists shared their visions for the future of audio. Kris emphasized the importance of originality and quality, while Katie underscored the significance of community-building. Duncan expressed optimism for a diverse and inclusive audio landscape, emphasizing the need to reach untapped demographics. He predicts “that audio will continue to have a rich future. But going forward, I think it’s important that audio and books are marketed and target all parts of our society rather than to the same types of people we expect to enjoy audio content - there's a huge demographic of people who publishers aren't reaching but we have the opportunity to engage with those people on our platform. Ultimately, getting people hooked onto audiobooks and creating an audience for the future is so essential.” Kelli agrees, concluding that “one of the key challenges in the industry are the massive gaps in audio content. I think it's really important that we as an industry figure out and innovate new ways in which we not only find more voices and more books to fill these gaps, but cultivate more diverse voices heard in audio and create a community within the larger landscape of audio.”
Our attendees asking the panelists questions about their thoughts on audio creation today and what they can do to keep on top of current developments.
In retrospect, the evening was a testament to the dynamism and complexity of the audio industry, with each panelist offering a unique perspective on its evolution and future prospects. As attendees departed into the London night, they carried with them a renewed appreciation for the transformative power of audio content and the boundless possibilities that lie ahead.
Thank you to Bookswarm for sponsoring our event!
You can see more photos from our brilliant photos from 'Audio Boom - What’s happening in the expanding world of audiobooks and podcasts?' event here!
